The coronavirus pandemic doesn’t mean you should avoid seeing your doctor for other reasons.
That’s the message from physicians around the province, who are urging Manitobans not to put their health on hold during the crisis.
Dr. Fourie Smith of Doctors Manitoba told 680 CJOB that fear of catching the coronavirus isn’t a reason to avoid care if you have other ailments.
“There’s a concern… ‘If I go to the doctor’s office, that’s where sick people are, isn’t it? Am I not going to be at an increased risk there?’
“The fact of the matter is, definitely not, when you consider how well the offices are cleaned at the end of the day and surfaces are wiped down every hour on the hour.”
Smith said he currently sees half of his patients virtually — an option Doctors Manitoba is working with the province to expand.
In a release, Doctors Manitoba said a recent survey of over 700 physicians showed that almost all doctors reported a concerning drop in patients seeking care.
In many cases, the patients weren’t aware doctors were still providing care for non-emergencies or issues other than COVID-19.
Smith said it’s important to stay on top of medical concerns, and that skipping the doctor now could result in a bottleneck down the road when physical distancing has relaxed.
“Patients are putting their health on hold, and this is patients with chronic medical conditions who need to be followed up by their family physicians or by their specialists, and even patients with newly developing medical conditions,” he said.